Improvement in car-couplings



W C. BASKIN. Oar-Coupling.

UNITED S'I'A'rns PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM O..BASKIN, OF HAMMOND, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,081, dated. November 13, 1877; application filed October 9, 1877.

To all whom t may concert Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. BAsKIN, of Hammond, in the county of Piatt and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings 5 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others 'skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in car-couplings; and it consists in the arrangement and combination of parts, that will be more fully described hereinafter, whereby a simple, cheap, and effective self-coupler is produced.

The accompanying drawing represents my invention. i

a represents the body of the car, and b the draw-head, which is secured to the under side of the car, and is provided with the spring c in its rear end, to prevent the ]'arring of the cars when they run together. Pivoted inside of the draw-head, near its center, upon the pivot d, is a U-shaped frame, f, the front end of which moves freely up and down. Swiveled in the front end of this frame is the coupling-bar e, which has a deep notchl cut in one of its sides. These coupling-bars are made to turn around inside of the head, so that either one can be turned around, should two cars come together having the bars both turned the same way.

Attached to the vertically-moving U -shaped frame is a connecting-link, fi, by means of which the frame is fastened to the Operating lever h, that is pivoted upon the end of the car. One end of this lever extends outward to the edge of the car, so that the coupling can be oper- ,ated from the outside of the car, and thus avoid the risk of the brakeman going between the cars when they run together. To the inner end of this lever, which extends some distance beyond where the linki is fastened to it, is attached the rod or chain l, which extends up to the top of the car, whereby the coupling may be operated from the top of the car, as well as from the ground, at one side.

Pivoted between the lower corners of the front end of the coupling-head is a coupling link or bar, n, which has its outer end so shaped as to enter the ordinary draw-heads, in which the common link and pin alone are used. Should two cars come together, one of which is provided with a common draw-head and the other with my coupler, the two cars can be coupled together as readily as though both had the same kind of a draw-head.

In order to connect cars having improved coupler to the front end of locomotives, I form a loop, s, into which the link from the locomotive will readily pass, and be held by means of the usual pin t.

By means of the loop and the bar n cars and locomotives having different couplin g devices can be coupled to my improved coupler with the greatest ease.

Another great advantage gained by a coupler of my construction is that there is no necessity for a brakeman ever going between the cars in order to couple them when they run together, the front ends of the draw-heads being so shaped that, if the draw-bars do not couple automatically' when the cars run together, the brakeman can operate them from the ground or the top of the car without exposing himself to any danger.

Having thus described my invention, I o1aim 1. The draw-head b, having the pivoted U- shaped frame f placed therein, and to which the draw-bars are swiveled, substantially as shown.

2. The draw-head b, having the loop 8 formed upon its top, for the purpose of coupling the car to a locomotive, substantially as shown.

3. The combination of the draw-head b, pivdted frame f, swiveled draw-bar e, and levers for Operating the draw-bar either from the side or the top of the car, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing' I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of October, 1877.

WILLIAM ORAIG BASKIN. Witnesses:

T. W. TYLER, I. B. FULTON. 

